Common Problems : Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is more common that you think. In North America, 10% of the population has some type of hearing loss.

There are many different causes of hearing loss and these can affect all ages. Some common causes are hereditary, trauma, disease, noise exposure and the aging process.

Conductive Hearing Loss (CHL) occurs when the transmission of sound through the outer and/or middle ear is interrupted. Common causes are wax buildup in the ear canal, a perforated eardrum, fluid in the middle ear and damaged ossicles (hearing bones).

Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SHL) occurs in the inner ear affecting the transmission of sound through the cochlea and/or the auditory nerve. Common causes are exposure to loud noise, trauma, the normal aging process and disease.

Mixed Hearing Loss (MHL) occurs in the outer and/or middle ear and inner ear. It is a combination of a conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. A mixed hearing loss can occur when a person has wax blockage in the ear canal and damage to the cochlea.

Most conductive losses can be treated medically or surgically and there are times when amplification may be the best choice. Sensorineural losses are usually treated with hearing aids, and mixed losses are treated with a combination of medical treatment and hearing aids.

You should see your doctor if there is active drainage from you ear, you experience sudden hearing loss or rapidly decreasing hearing in one or both ears, you have sudden or ongoing dizziness or pain or discomfort in the ear.